


Fortune's Wayward Tyranny

by VerdiWithin



Series: Talisman [41]
Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Blood and Injury, Controlling Parent, Developing Relationship, F/M, Friendship, Idiots in Love, Rebellion, Rise of the Dread Queen, Violence, harsh justice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:55:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23262079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VerdiWithin/pseuds/VerdiWithin
Summary: Persephone and Hades visit Tartarus.
Relationships: Eros/Psyche (Lore Olympus), Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)
Series: Talisman [41]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1497371
Comments: 51
Kudos: 295





	Fortune's Wayward Tyranny

**Author's Note:**

> Previously in this series:
> 
> Demeter discovered Persephone and Hades in bed together. Persephone recently healed Zeus’s impotence, using the crystal she received from Gaia. Demeter sent Persephone a letter, accusing Hades of sexual coercion, and promising to rescue Persephone. Psyche is now immortal.

Sunday morning I come downstairs already dressed, determined to get stuff done today. I’ve got a long list that’s been accumulating. Hades looks up from his paper. His mouth pauses in the process of saying good morning, and he looks slightly stunned. 

“What's wrong?” I ask. My hand goes to my head, patting my hair, trying to figure out what he spotted that makes him look like that.

“You look--”

I wait, and he doesn't finish the thought. I glance down at myself. I'm wearing a cropped shirt with shorts and socks. I put my hair in two braids. Basically, I dressed for cleaning the house, which is what we're doing this morning.

Hades holds out his hands, placating. “No, I'm sorry, don't worry. I just meant you look really adorable today.” He lifts one of my braids, and gently tugs it. The expression on his face is oddly guilty.

“Oh. Thank you.” I slip in close and wrap my arms around his chest, rub my face into his shirt. I meant to stay focused this morning but I can already feel that resolve melting away.

Hades drops a kiss on the top of my head. “How about some pancakes?” 

“I’d like that, but only if I can help.”

***

Cleaning the house actually doesn’t take that long. Hades insists on doing all the bathrooms himself, so I start work in the kitchen. It isn’t necessary to clean the floors, since the machine thingies do that every day. Once I’ve wiped the counters and stove and scrubbed the sink, I’m pretty much done, so I take a dusting cloth and wander around the first floor. 

This is a task I did every week in my mother’s house, and I don’t mind it. It’s actually kind of meditative, and while I dust, I can look at all of Hades’s things and wonder about the stories behind them. My new ability to fly comes in very handy for reaching high shelves. That would have been useful back in the Mortal Realm. 

I daydream what my mother’s reaction will be to learning about my new powers, but then I remember. I’m upset with my mother. She’s treating me like--like her property. My decisions have no meaning to her, because they’re different from the decisions she would make. I don’t actually have any legal autonomy from her. Everything I thought I’ve achieved in the last six months, every hard lesson I’ve struggled to learn, every new path I’ve chosen to explore: my mother can’t see the value of any of it. 

I’m working in the library, dusting the shelves where my own books now reside. It brings tears to my eyes, realizing how willing Hades is to change his life for me. He was eager to make room for my stuff, delighted to clear away old things he didn’t want to keep anymore, so I could have some space. 

He and my mother are about the same age, and products of a similar background. It’s kind of astonishing to think about how different they are in terms of their relationships with me. My mother’s primary motivation is to protect me, to keep me insulated from the world so I won’t get hurt. Hades also has deep protective instincts, but he’s willing to listen when I want to try something risky. He’s capable of standing aside to let me try new things, to learn and grow. He trusts my judgment in ways my mother never has. 

Literally! Hades let me judge a shade the other day, sending a wife-murdering degenerate to Tartarus. I can’t even express the feeling of power that gave me, and at the same time, helplessness. As good as it felt to enact justice, I wish I could have prevented the deaths of the two women. They were innocent. They trusted their husband, and paid the price for that trust. I make a note to myself to check the archives for the locations of the women's shades. If they’re not already in Elysium, I want them to get a hearing.

The Tartarus security review is coming up this week, and I find myself actually eager for it. I want to face it. I want a second chance at coping with that terrifying place. I did well enough the first time, given that I was totally unprepared, but I’ve grown since then. I want to do better.

"You really don't have to do that, Kore."

I turn from dusting Hades's desk to see him standing in the doorway. "Why not? I finished in the kitchen."

"That's different. You actually use the kitchen."

"Sorry, what's your point? I thought the deal was that you do the upstairs and the bathrooms, and I do the downstairs." I walk over and poke him in the belly.

"Yeah, that's what we said. But it's plenty if you just do the kitchen and living room." He captures my hand and kisses it.

"That doesn't seem fair. I live here, too, shouldn't we share chores equally?"

“Equal isn’t always the same as fair.”

I tilt my head and consider. I think I understand what he means. “I’m not just going to sit around on my butt and watch while you’re working. You can forget that.”

“Oh. Well, maybe… I should hire somebody to clean.”

“I thought you said you didn’t like having strangers around the house? You would do that, just to keep me from doing a little dusting?”

“It’s not just that, Kore. It’s a burden you shouldn't have to bear.”

“I used to have to sweep my mother’s house several times a week, and let me tell you,  _ that _ took a lot of my time. This is nothing. I don’t mind at all, and isn’t the whole point that we share these things?”

“Yeah… but I don’t like it when the sharing means you having to clean up after me.”

I fold my arms and wait for him to think it through. He doesn’t need me to lead him through this exercise.

After a minute, Hades shakes his head ruefully. “I’m being foolish again, aren’t I? Not seeing the big picture.”

I smile at him, and wait. He reaches out with both hands and takes my braids, holding them like reins. I feel my pulse quicken and I force myself to keep still.

“Okay,” Hades continues. “I’ll stop being such an idiot about this, but I want something from you in return.”

“What’s that?” I loop my arms around his waist.

“You agree to sit down with an architect and start talking about renovations. Because this  _ is _ your home, too, and you should get to make some decisions about it.”

“Oh.” He played me really well, there. I wonder if he intended it from the beginning of this conversation, or he seized the opportunity. I take a deep breath. “All right. It’s a deal.”

The slow smolder in his eyes all but confirms that Hades set me up deliberately. I shouldn’t be surprised. He  _ is _ a king, and has been for a long time. He knows how to get his way.

Well, I know how to get my way, too, at least some of the time. I float up and press my lips to Hades’s, squirming into his embrace, letting my breasts settle against his chest. “I just thought of a new and exciting method of dusting. Want to help me?”

***

In the afternoon I meet Eros for some shopping. I’m finally ready to admit that my wardrobe needs some upgrades and more diversity, and I’ve built up a comfortable amount of savings. My salary is extremely generous, and my living expenses are pretty much nothing. Which makes me very uncomfortable when I think about it. 

We’re looking through one of the posh stores that thrive in the Underworld’s glitzy downtown. The decor and the prices here make me very nervous, and I have to swallow my urge to run and find a discount store. Eros is in his element, though. I know he’s right. It’s time for me to step up my game. I agree to try on everything he picks, including shoes.

“This time, will you  _ please _ get some evening dresses?” he complains. “You can’t tell me that you don’t have a use for them now.” 

“Whatever you say, Mr. Stylist.” I roll my eyes, but honestly, I’m happy to be guided by him. I have a lot of social engagements and appointments with high-profile people like the mayor, these days. I need to look the part. I may have grown up as a sheltered girl from the Mortal Realm, but my mother is a powerful businesswoman. I am aware of the principle that appearances matter.

Eros picks out evening and day dresses, suits, shoes, and casual clothes as well. While I’m in the dressing room he brings yet more. “What’s gotten into you?” I ask, while showing him a dress that I particularly like. “You’re acting like clothes are going out of style or something.”

“Fates forbid!” Eros says, making an expression of horror. “No, I’m just really concerned for you, Perse. You’re a goddess who’s getting a lot of attention, and it’s important for you to look fabulous. After all, people know we’re friends, so your appearance is part of my brand.” He gives me a little smirk.

“Uh huh. Can I try that suit next?”

“Sure, honey. I’m dying to see you in a pantsuit.”

I take the white suit into the dressing room, along with a crisp blue blouse. Pantsuits are my mother’s standard uniform when visiting Olympus, but nevertheless, I’m intrigued to try one. I’ve always been more into skirts, but this--this outfit looks fantastic. It makes me feel not just like a powerful goddess, but like a respected businesswoman. I feel as if I could stand toe to toe with Hecate or Hera, and be treated like a colleague.

I step out of the dressing room and show Eros. “Oh! Yes! It’s perfect!” he squeals. “You look like a--” He stops dead and looks embarrassed.

“What were you going to say?”

“Nothing, not important. You’re getting that, I hope?”

“Yes. I think I am.” I wish I knew what he meant to say.

***

A while later we’re sitting in a booth in a restaurant together, surrounded by shopping bags, having cocktails. Hades and Psyche are supposed to join us for dinner, but we arrived early.

“Has Psyche recovered?” I ask. “I talked to her yesterday morning, but I got the feeling she was pretty wiped out.”

“Oh yeah, she’s been sleeping a lot. The metamorphosis took a lot out of her, and she sort of leaks power from time to time.”

“Sure, I remember that happening.” It wasn’t even that long ago that my powers were unpredictable. “I suppose it’ll be a while until she figures out the nature of her godhood?”

“Yeah, Hera says in terms of her power she’s like a kid right now. It’ll develop in fits and starts, and take a while to settle into one category.”

“That makes sense, I guess.” 

I notice movement and hear voices, and look around to see Hades and Psyche entering together. Eros and I both stand up to greet our partners, and then change places. 

I wrap Psyche into a hug. “How are you? You look fantastic!” She really does. Her skin is glowing and her hair is shiny and perfect.

“I am well! A bit tired, but that is getting better.”

We all sit down, and Hades slips his arm around my waist, holding me close to his side.

Eros and Psyche exchange a secretive look, and a giggle. 

“So--” Eros says, his face splitting in a wide grin. “We have some news.”

I catch a glimpse of Hades’s smile, and Psyche’s eyes, full of emotion.

“What is it?” I ask. I get the feeling that everyone knows but me.

“We’re engaged,” Eros blurts. “To be  _ married, _ ” he goes on in clarification, as if I wouldn’t get it otherwise.

Psyche beams at him, and lifts her left hand, showing me her ring. It's a lovely thing of white gold, set with an oval sapphire flanked by two diamonds. “That’s beautiful!” I say. “Congratulations, it’s so wonderful!”

I am delighted for my friends. They’ve been through so much, such a tough journey finding each other again and reaching a stable place. I lean over and kiss Psyche’s cheek, and give Eros a hug. 

Hades orders some champagne, and when it arrives we make a toast.

“Do you have a date set for the wedding?” I ask. “Sorry, is that too pushy?”

“Not at all!” Psyche replies. “We are thinking it will be soon. Will you help me plan it?”

“Of course I will!” I don’t really know the first thing about weddings, but there’s no doubt I’m good at organizing things. I’m happy to give whatever help I can.

Eros and Psyche chatter on and on about the proposal and their plans. Hades and I smile and listen. It’s delightful hearing them be so happy together. I get the impression that Hades helped pick out the ring, and made the stones for Eros. That’s very sweet, but at the same time I feel a little left out. 

***

I wake up Monday morning with my head on Hades’s chest, smelling his scent. He’s still deeply asleep, breathing slowly. Cerberus, lying on the other side of the bed, raises his massive head and looks at me. When I don’t move, he settles back down, dropping off to sleep once more. I wonder what time it is. I have a very full schedule today, including the Tartarus security review, and the crisis center opening tonight. 

It feels early, though, and I don’t want to disturb Hades. I try to sleep some more, but my brain is having none of it. I keep having thoughts about my mother, and what she might try next. For certain, she’s not just going to give up. She thinks she’s rescuing me from an awful fate.

I look at Hades’s sleeping profile, barely discernible in the dark room. I smile to myself. Yes, an awful fate indeed, being the adored lover of this kind, generous man. Eating the experimental vegetarian dishes he cooks to please me; receiving the beautiful gifts he crafts with his powers for me; going to sleep in his arms, still trembling in the wake of the orgasms he gives me. Snuggling with him watching a movie, showering with him, playing together with the dogs, working with him. Such torture.

I’m dozing when I feel Hades move, the sort of preliminary squirming and stretching that means he’s waking up. His big hand slides all the way down my back and settles on my rump with a firm squeeze. I arch automatically, bumping my hip against his.

I lift my head to bid him good morning, but he’s right there, his lips brushing mine, his tongue flicking lightly. A small giggle escapes me as I lean into the kiss and let my hands start to wander. One goes around Hades’s neck, where I stroke his hair and ears. The other trails downward across his belly. He often wants to go slow, to take our time. I hope he’s not feeling that way right now--I’m already pulsing with need. 

When my hand finds him already hard, he makes a muffled groan against my lips, and rolls onto his back, pulling me with him. I cooperate, opening my thighs and straddling him, sliding down on his torso until I feel the welcome prod of his cock against my entrance. 

Cerberus raises his head again and looks at us, his doggy expression exasperated. He makes a huffing sound and hops down from the bed. I hear his claws clicking as he leaves the bedroom and trots down the hall.

I exchange a grin with Hades, and then slide right down onto him, taking his whole erection into me, exulting in the sensation. His mouth opens and he makes a sound of pure bliss that thrills me to my toes.

I’m arched backwards, my arms braced on Hades’s shoulders, panting with pleasure as I move on top of him. I look down, and the ends of my hair brush his chest. As I watch him, he reaches up to touch my cheek. His lips part and I can’t resist. He’s too tempting. I bend my elbows and lower my chest to his, then bestow a tender kiss.

“Good morning,” I murmur, nose to nose with him, rolling my hips languorously.

“It certainly is,” Hades says. 

He grabs my butt with both hands and thrusts up into me. I cling to him with hands and knees, bucking in time with his movements. As I start to come, my cries are muffled by his lips and tongue on mine.

***

Kynora has a pile of reports ready for me when I arrive in my office. I sit down at my desk, happy to have my space back now that my windows are fixed. I’m still really embarrassed that I broke them all in my fit of temper over my mother’s letter. I sigh. That letter! I understand why she interpreted my situation as she did, but it's very upsetting.

As long as I’ve known her, she has always been quick to suspect men of having marauder’s instincts and a total lack of morals. I’m deeply disappointed that she thinks so little of me, though. She seems to believe that I’m ripe for the plucking, that I’d fall for a charming, manipulative liar without a second thought. She doesn’t believe in my ability to fight for myself. 

I need to show her otherwise.

I’m about to pick up the phone and call Nemesis when Hermes peeks into my office. “Hey, Perse,” he says. “Got some letters for you.”

“Oh, good, I have one to go out. Do you know Arion?”

“Green dude, usually a horse? Sure.”

I shake my head. Here’s another person who knows my brother, when I don’t. “Here, would you take this to him?” 

I hand over the letter I wrote this weekend, in which I took careful pains to tell Arion about my life without making emotional demands on him. I hope that by starting a correspondence, we can get to know each other in some small way. 

Hermes flits out and I look over the mail. One of the letters is from my priestess Eunelia, and contains a terse report of her attempt to infiltrate my mother’s followers. It seems the message Mother’s priestesses are putting forth is about diligent work in planting and harvesting, and the virtues of moderation in food consumption and careful preservation of grain. Not terribly exciting.

I recall that I meant to phone Nemesis, and I’m actually dialing when my lawyer herself steps into my office, with Hecate in tow. “Do you have a minute?” asks the Goddess of Vengeance.

“Certainly. I was just calling you.” I rise and cross over to my seating area, gesturing for my guests to sit.

“We came up with some ideas we’d like to run by you,” says Hecate. “I know you want to deal with Demeter directly yourself, but I really feel it’s better if you use intermediaries. There’s no telling what kind of desperate move she’d make if she had you in her hands.”

I draw breath to protest, but Hecate is right. It isn’t cowardice to keep away from my mother for now. Well, not  _ unreasonable _ cowardice. I need to give her time to cool down. “Let me hear your ideas.”

“We agree that sending someone to explain things to Demeter could help. Someone powerful and respected, who is close enough to you to have a good perspective on your life,” says Nemesis.

“Like me,” Hecate says with a smile. “Not that she’ll buy it, but it’s the first round of getting her used to this idea.”

“The idea that I get to make my own choices about my life?” I ask.

“Yes,” replies Nemesis. “She has legal rights, but the fact is, as long as you remain in the Underworld there’s not much she can do about it. And you have both Hades and Zeus locked down, so Demeter doesn’t have many paths open to her.”

“And you’re willing to go see her?” I ask Hecate.

“Absolutely. I can go right now.”

“Well, that could be helpful. I would be very grateful to you.”

“It’s not a problem, honey. What are friends for?”

Hecate stands up and transfers away, apparently meaning to go at once.

“Now that we have privacy, there is one thing I need to say to you,” Nemesis says. I gesture for her to continue. “I apologize for treading on your personal affairs, but I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that there is a simple solution to your legal dilemma.”

I sigh. I think I know what this is. “Yes?”

“If you were married, your mother would have no further legal rights over you.”

“Yes, that’s what I thought you were going to say.”

Nemesis tilts her head. “Forgive me if that suggestion is unwelcome. I was under the impression that it might align with your desires.”

“No, it’s fine. You’re doing your job, I get it.”

Nemesis stands, and we say our good-byes. Once she’s gone I sit down at my desk again to try to work, but I can’t focus. All I can think about is Hades. He said before that he would give me anything, and I believe him. Considering that he’s the God of Wealth--the mind boggles. He could give me literally anything I asked for. This would make me want to go hide in a hole, except--the one thing I want is the one thing I can’t ask for. The one thing he has to offer freely, or it will mean nothing.

I torture myself frequently wondering why he doesn’t ask. Does he remember our first meeting? Does it embarrass him? Or--a new thought intrudes on me--is he still waiting for an answer? That couldn’t possibly be it! Could it? Could he seriously think a joking, drunken proposal like that was real?

I think it over. If I bring up the topic now, and he doesn’t remember, I’ll look like an idiot. A greedy, pushy idiot. If he does remember--most likely I’ll just embarrass us both. The possibility that he’s just passively waiting for my answer without even mentioning it again seems vanishingly slim.

So that must mean Hades just isn’t ready to get married. To me. I feel a cold stab in my heart, recalling his planned proposal to Minthe. I know he’s happier with me than he ever was with her; he’s told me so with considerable detail. So, why? Could it be because they actually knew one another for longer than six months?

Right. I’m being ridiculous. We’ve only been together for two months. What’s my hurry? He asked me to move in, and it’s wonderful. Isn’t that enough?

***

We’re in the elevator of Tower Four. Hades takes my hand, pulls me close to him and looks into my eyes. “You understand, I don’t like this much,” he says. “I don’t like seeing you in danger. But it’s only right that you should see Tartarus, since you want to.”

“I know you’re worried for me.” I reach up to cup his cheek. “Thank you for believing in me, and sharing this with me.”

He chokes out a skeptical sound. “You’re  _ thanking _ me for sharing the worst place in all the realms with you?”

I shake my head. “I’m thanking you… for sharing  _ everything _ with me. All the dark places. All the things that have hurt you. It’s--I think that’s what I’m here for. Sharing all the good things, but the bad things, too.”

“Oh, Sweetness. Your generosity is astonishing.”

“You just say that because you can’t see how generous  _ you _ are. It’s fair. It’s balanced, and it’s right.”

“Still with that fairness thing,” he says, smiling gently.

“Of course.”

We exit the elevator to find Chief Agenis in the lobby, with a group of security personnel.

“Ah, good morning, sir, and ma’am.” He offers a crisp salute, which Hades acknowledges with a small wave. “We’re ready to begin.”

“Fine, Chief. You can start your drills. We’ll begin the inspection tour.” 

Seeing me unfolding the coat I brought along, Hades takes it from me and holds it open. I’m still a little leery about accepting public shows of affection from him, but, well--this is just courtesy, right? And I really need to get over it. I greatly enjoy having Hades’s affection, and not a single co-worker has even hinted that I’m a freeloader.

I slip my arms into the coat and thank Hades. I button it up as we enter together through the heavy, reinforced doors. The cold strikes me immediately, and I conceal a shiver. I cut my hair short today, for convenience, but now I regret it a little. More hair might keep me warmer. 

Hades offers his arm and I take it, smiling up at him. I can’t help thinking about my first visit here, and how he rescued me and gave me his jacket to keep warm. It gives me a happy feeling, remembering that, although the place we’re visiting strikes fear in the hearts of even the most powerful immortals.

I glance at the skeletal shades around us. They’re starting to stir in response to our presence. It’s creepy, but I’m not frightened. I have quite a bit of experience with shades now, and the sure knowledge that I can manipulate them with my powers if I need to. We walk together down the entrance corridor, shades turning to watch us pass. 

“Remember, you promised you’ll stay with me,” Hades says. 

I look up at him. His face is very serious. I can tell he’s trying hard not to fret about me.

“I will. And you promised not to freak out if I stub my toe or something.”

“Okay.” He squeezes my hand. 

The security people follow us in, and then fan out to go to their appointed tasks. I know from preparatory meetings that they’re planning on inspecting alarms, cameras, and some of the high-security areas where dangerous prisoners are kept.

We enter the area where I created a forest, all those months ago. It’s very dark here, and yet the trees seem to be doing well. I reach out with my free hand to touch a tree trunk. I receive an odd sense through the bark--a sort of deep thrumming. I probe it with my power. What I find is fascinating, and so strange, so I look deeper, searching, trying to understand--

“Kore?” Hades says.

I pull back from the tree and look at him. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s just you’ve been touching that tree for five minutes and I was getting a little concerned.”

“Oh! Sorry. It’s pretty weird. All the trees here, it’s like they’re connected. Almost as if--” I hesitate. I have an impression, but it doesn’t make much sense.

“What?”

“Well, as if they’re all one organism.”

“Huh. That is strange, but I don’t think it’s more strange than a forest thriving here in the first place.”

“I guess. Um, also--it’s spread. A  _ lot. _ ”

“Okay. Let’s see how far.”

We walk for a few minutes under the trees, and then come to an open area. There’s a smell of sulfur in the air, and a rattling, squeaking sound. 

“We’re just about to enter Tartarus proper,” Hades says. “This part out here is kind of the vestibule.”

“Oh.”

And here I’d been thinking that it wasn’t so bad after all, and we haven’t even really entered. A large structure looms out of the darkness. It appears to be a huge gate, made up of close-packed columns of carved stone. As we approach it, a horrible noise begins: a loud, high-pitched shrieking. 

Hades smiles reassuringly, and squeezes my hand. We step through the open gate and find a--a  _ creature _ waiting for us on the other side. It’s enormous, bigger than a house, and a dull black, covered in iridescent scales. It seems to be the source of both the shrieking and the sulfur stench. Worst of all, it’s a hydra. Its body is a massive pile of loose, serpentine coils, but the heads sway above us, regarding us with dull red eyes. So many heads! All of them making that  _ sound. _ Its tongues flick out from time to time, and the cold eyes are fastened on us. Each head possesses a full set of fierce, shining teeth.

Hades reaches into his pocket and takes out a box. He opens it, and removes a small white cube. He places this on his palm and holds it up, waiting. The hydra watches, and then one head lowers daintily. It sniffs, and then a tongue flicks out, taking the cube. I hear a faint crunching sound, and the head raises back up. Are they sugar cubes, I wonder?

The process repeats with another head, and then another. Hades holds the box out to me, and raises an eyebrow in challenge. Okay, I guess I can try giving a treat to his pet. The horrible shrieking sound is already diminished, and I suppose that feeding it is what will make it be quiet. I’ll try anything to make the noise stop.

I balance a sugar cube on my palm and raise my arm up high. The hydra watches carefully, and then one head approaches me, with wary caution. It pauses just out of my reach and sniffs for a long time. I can feel its hot breath. When the tongue flicks out and takes the cube, I feel a momentary flick on my hand, quite dry, and then it’s gone. That wasn’t so bad.

I take some more sugar cubes, and keep feeding the hydra. It’s apparently a well-mannered beast: as far as I can tell, it’s just taking one sugar cube per head. Hades feeds it, too, and the shrieking noise diminishes until we can have a conversation again.

“What do you think of Strinkliá?” he asks.

“Very cute. I see why you don’t keep her in the house, though.”

He laughs. “Yeah, this process would get tedious every time we want to have someone over. Also, she and Cerberus don’t get along so well.”

“Too much conflict over their roles as guardians?”

“That, and they’re siblings.” 

Hades gives me the last of the sugar cubes, and I feed the last head. Strinkliá allows this head to hover over me after taking the cube, crunching on the treat. The silence is quite a relief. I watch the last head as it slowly lowers to right above me, and the red eyes look me over thoroughly. After a minute, she raises the head again, and resumes her vigilant watch.

“She knows you now,” Hades says. “She’ll remember you.”

“Well, good.”

We start moving again, down a slight incline. A short distance from the hydra, the forest begins again, with some sparse trees and grasses. I start to notice a bright glow ahead of us, which really stands out in the gloom. I wonder what can be causing it? We emerge from a thick stand of trees to find a heap of boulders, and emerging from it, a thin stream of bright yellow fire. It’s exactly like a spring of water, but with fire pouring out, instead. The fire flows downhill in a trickle, leading off into the forest in a course parallel to the trail we’ve been following.

“This is the source of the Phlegethon,” Hades tells me. “The flaming river of Tartarus.”

It’s beautiful in its dangerous way. I hold my hands out, letting them warm, but after a minute I shiver. I’m not sure why, but I don’t enjoy the warmth of that river. I move back to Hades, and he takes my hand again. We walk for a while. Shades move under the trees, watching us, but they don’t approach. It’s completely different from my first visit here, when they attacked me. I suppose it’s because of Hades that they don’t bother us now.

As we go deeper, the walking becomes rougher. There’s more than just trees here: shrubs, grasses, and hanging vines abound, too. It’s quite wild, and I feel rather proud of it. I created this in a matter of a few panicked seconds, during a time in my life when my powers were unreliable. And yet it’s strong, and beautiful in a macabre fashion. The gurgling, flaming brook that flows through the forest compliments it somehow.

“What did it look like before?” I ask.

“Pretty bleak. Utilitarian. Sort of a blank slate, really.” Hades smiles down at me, and squeezes my hand in reassurance. “You made it beautiful.”

I smile back. “I’m happy you like it.”

We walk for a long time through the dark, eerie forest. Shades are all around us, curious, but after a time they move away, leaving us alone. The trail is rough going: ever downward, over rocky terrain that sometimes shifts under my feet. Several times, I’m grateful to have Hades’s hand to keep me from stumbling.

I thought it was dark near the entrance, but the lower we go the darker it gets. If we get any distance at all from the gushing Phlegethon, it’s profoundly black. I notice after a while, that if I don’t look at the river, my eyes adjust, letting me see the forest as dim outlines. Hades glows in my vision, and it's a huge comfort having him by my side.

We climb down a rather steep hill, taking a switchback path. At the bottom, Hades looks around for a moment. “Everything looks so different now. The landmarks have completely changed.”

I feel a bit guilty about that, but he doesn’t seem to regret the changes. 

“Let’s go this way,” he goes on. “There’s some interesting things to see.”

We start to pass groups of shades, some of whom are absorbed in doing various tasks. I see one who is sitting next to a large pile of straw, braiding it into a rope. The finished rope is piled on his other side, but the free end of the rope is slowly being consumed by a fat, complacent donkey. 

Nearby is a man’s shade chained to a rock. Out of nowhere, a lightning bolt strikes his chest and he screams and writhes. I shudder. “What did he do?”

“He tried to get his people to worship him, in place of Zeus.”

“Oh!”

There are weird tableaus all around us, mortal shades receiving their punishments. Too many for me to ask about all their stories, but I suspect that Hades would be able to tell me each and every one. I look from side to side as we walk, and I start to get a sense that futile labor is a major theme of the justice of Tartarus.

We pass a clutch of women’s shades grouped around a well. They keep dipping buckets into the well, and carrying water over to a huge basin a few paces away, but apparently the buckets have holes. By the time they reach the basin, only a few drops remain to be shaken out. One of the women is sitting on a rock, her bucket on the ground next to her. She’s smoking a cigarette and giving us a skeptical eye.

“Who are they?” I ask in a low voice.

“They’re sisters who killed their husbands,” Hades tells me.

“Oh.” Somehow I didn’t expect such a terrible crime from them. They all look like sweet young women, except maybe the smoker.

“There were some extenuating circumstances,” he says. “That’s why their punishment is pretty mild.”

“They’re supposed to just fill the basin?”

“That’s right.”

In a few minutes, we come upon a pair of giants, and I gape up at them in amazement. I’ve heard stories of giants, but I’ve never seen any. These two seem to be identical, and I suppose they’re brothers. Each of them has a huge arrow protruding from his chest. They’re braced against one another, pulling on the other one’s arrow, pushing with their feet to try to extract the weapons.

“These two were rebels, and tried to overthrow Olympus and steal goddesses to be their brides,” Hades explained. “Artemis tricked them into shooting each other.”

I feel nothing but contempt for these two. I hate the idea of someone trying to force marriage on another person. 

Following the course of the Phlegethon, we arrive at a rocky formation. The stream has grown considerably, to the size of a respectable stream. We turn to see the face of the rocks, and I see that there’s a huge wheel mounted in the stone, slowly turning. The wheel is emitting red and yellow flames, and there’s a shade bound to its rim.

“What did he do?” I ask.

“Murder. He’s the first kinslayer.” 

I look up at Hades. His face is set in grim lines as he stares at the wheel. There’s something about his tone that tells me that he has strong feelings about this particular shade.

We watch for a few minutes before moving on again, down the forest path, which now meanders a slight distance from the river. I pause in horror. There’s someone crawling across the path ahead of us, and it’s no mortal shade. The slight figure wears the ragged remnants of loose chiton, and there are horrible scars on her back, visible through the rents in her garment. Her hair drags in the dust.

“Who is she?”

“She was a messenger goddess,” Hades says. “She sided with the Titans.”

I wait, but he doesn’t give any more detail. I shiver as we pass the pitiful figure. In my experience Hades is generous and fair, so if this goddess is down here crawling through the dirt, I have to believe that she earned her fate.

When the path again converges with the Phlegethon, I see that it has grown into a mighty river. It rushes and burbles along just like any river that I’m used to, but still casts a strong light. Coming around a rocky outcrop, I’m surprised to see a huge hole ahead of us. The river rushes right over the edge, falling down into a pit. Hades leads me up to the edge and we gaze downwards. Far, far below us, the fiery river drops into an enormous lake of fire, extending as far as I can see. The heat rising off it is palpable even at this distance, but it makes me shiver.

“What’s down there?” I ask.

Hades clutches my hand tightly and I look up at him. His face is utterly blank. “Titans. The Titans who wouldn’t give their pledge of loyalty to Zeus, unlike Helios and Metis and my mother.”

I look again. The bottom is so far away that I can’t make out details, but I think I can spot a narrow shoreline around the lake. I wonder how the Titans are secured.

“That’s a long way down,” I say.

“Don’t ask me to show you that. Please.” Hades’s voice is shaking slightly.

“No, of course not.” I’m honestly not eager to see Titans; it’s enough that he’s sharing Tartarus with me today. I think of another destination. “That shade we sent the other day, the wife-murderer. Where would he be?”

Hades nods, seeming to calm down. “There’s a whole area for the ordinary sort of murderers. We can go see, if you like.”

He pauses to think about direction and landmarks in this altered Tartarus, then chooses a path for us, away from the pit. I take his hand again, for our mutual comfort. We walk through the deep forest, much darker now away from the river. After a few minutes, my eyes adjust again and I can see well enough.

We’re not conversing just now, both of us lost in our thoughts. I’m a little concerned for Hades, and his carefully flat response to the punished shades, in contrast with the tightly controlled emotions I saw when we looked down at the Titans’ prison. 

A strange, high moan carries through the forest, and I stop in surprise. Hades stops too; his head jerks around, swiveling to and fro, trying to figure out the direction of the sound’s origin. The sound itself is enough to send shivers up my spine, but Hades’s reaction is what really sets me off.

“Kore,” he says, still looking around for the source. “I don’t like that sound. I don’t like it at all.”

The tone of his voice is extremely troubling. I wait and watch, trying to stay alert and ready to help in any way I can. He draws a sharp breath and shudders. “This may be nothing, or it may--listen, I want to check this out. I know I said you should stay with me, but I need you to stay here and be my backup.”

“Okay. What do I do?”

Hades hands me his phone and unlocks it, then opens his contacts. “Okay, you see that button?”

“Code Red? What does it do?”

“It will summon my brothers. If everything takes a turn for the worse, call them. This is the only form of communication that can get out of Tartarus. If you’re even a  _ little _ suspicious, use it.”

I feel my eyes widen. He really thinks it’s that bad? I start to ask what he means, but then Hades summons his helmet and bident and I understand. I know what he fears. If he’s right--I can’t blame him for being afraid.

“Stay hidden, Kore. I’ll be back for you soon. Maybe it’s just a false alarm.” He starts to put his helmet on. 

“Wait!”  I drop his phone into my pocket and grab his lapels, floating up off the ground to kiss his lips soundly. “I love you!”

Hades gasps like someone just punched him. “I love you, too. Remember, hide yourself!”

“I will.”

He lowers the helmet on his head and disappears from my sight. A moment later, I can’t catch his scent, either. I shiver violently, and not from the cold. I look around me to find a good place to hide. I’m in a wide clearing in the forest. In any other place but Tartarus, I might call it a meadow, but that word conjures images of sunlight and butterflies and frolicking nymphs. This place has an odd, austere beauty, but the word “meadow” doesn’t fit. I shiver again and make my way back into the forest, following the trail that we took to reach this place.

I’m looking for a likely branch that will offer me a comfortable perch when I hear a noise. It sounds like voices. That’s unexpected. I didn’t realize any of the security guards had come down this deep. The voices sound… agitated. The hairs stand up on the back of my neck. Combined with Hades’s nervousness, this situation is freaking me out. I get off the trail, and move behind a dense clump of trees. I peek back out. The sounds are getting closer, and now I identify the sound of running feet and someone panting.

A man’s figure suddenly bursts through the trees, running fast. I’m startled to recognize him. It’s Triamus! My former subordinate, and one of the traitorous conspirators. The one who broke into Hades’s office a month ago, and got sent--here. I want to know why he’s running. I reach out with my power and generate a vine. It grabs Triamus by the ankle and sends him sprawling to the ground.

“Dammit!” he grunts. “What the hell?” He rolls over and tries to free his foot from the grasping vine. 

I step out of my hiding space and approach him. “Hello, Triamus. Haven’t seen you in a while.”

“You! What are you doing here?”

I don’t answer that. “What are you running from?”

The young satyr scowls up at me and tugs viciously at the vine holding him. “There’s all sorts of bad things down here. Don’t you know?”

“I’m aware.” I think he’s running from something specific. I’m almost sure it’s the same thing that Hades recently ran toward. 

“What are you doing here, anyway? Your boyfriend get tired of you already?” 

I fold my arms and wait. The vine tightens around Triamus’s ankle and he hisses. “Let me go!”

“Tell me what I want to know.”

He laughs now. It’s weirdly confident and makes me nervous, but I keep my face calm. Something grabs my arm and I squeak with surprise, turning to see one of the skeletal shades. I try to pull away but it’s very strong, and as I pull another one grabs me from the other side.

“Finally!” yells Triamus. “Come on, get me free.” 

I’m fighting back against the shades, but there’s a bunch of them converging on me. I reach out with my power and grab them with vines. Out of the corner of my eye, I see another figure run up and pull Triamus free, yanking him to his feet.

“Thanatos, you coward!” I yell. “Get back here and face me!” 

He turns to glance at me. He’s filthy, and wearing only a ragged chiton. His feet are bare, his hair matted. He makes a horrible face at me, and turns away with Triamus. The two of them run up the path together at a rapid pace.

The shades are still tugging at me, trying to drag me backwards. I finally do what I should have done in the first place--I reach into them, searching for the connection they have to the Mortal Realm. These shades are old, though--it must be that their mortal remains have completely faded away. I can’t just send them back. Instead, what I find is something more fundamental, like a bundle of energy. I tug on it, and the shades collapse to the ground, melting away like clouds of dust.

“Ugh, good riddance,” I say. I look down at my coat. It’s ripped and filthy, and all the buttons are torn off. I’m deeply annoyed. Another nice, warm garment lost to this place! Hades will be so apologetic over this, and even more determined to protect me. 

“My sisters, come to me,” I say. Nothing happens. This is bad! When Hades said no communication could get out of Tartarus, I assumed he meant phone signals. I thought I could  _ always _ summon the Furies!

I hear the sound of approaching feet again, and I brace myself, ready to fight. I’m quite upset that Thanatos and Triamus got away from me, and I won’t let it happen again. The approaching figures turn out to be a large group of shades, running flat out toward me. Their bony feet slap the trail, and occasionally one looks behind. Their entire attitude is one of fear, and not attack. They run right past me without a second glance, and I turn to watch their retreat upwards. I wonder what can have set them off like that? What would cause a bunch of shades in Tartarus, presumably hardened criminals, to tear off in a panic?

A huge sound crashes behind me and I jerk around, looking back out into the open space. The trees across the field from me are shaking wildly, as if there’s something huge pushing through them. I retreat into the trees, back toward my hiding place. I can’t take my eyes from the treeline; the awful certainty is like a lead weight in my stomach. 

I scramble backwards, behind the first trees, and freeze in horror when an enormous man steps out of the forest. He’s black and red and his skin is shining with stars, his teeth like swords, his hair floating like a smoky trail behind him. 

“Where are you, puny weakling?” the Titan bellows.

My heart tries to climb right up my throat. This is  _ Kronos. _ I’m looking at Kronos! I jerk Hades’s phone from my pocket and press the Code Red button. The screen flashes multiple times, but nothing else happens. I don’t know if that’s how it’s supposed to work, or not.

“Come out, little traitor!” 

I shiver violently, and crouch down, making myself as small as possible. There are massive cuffs on his wrists and ankles, with short lengths of broken chain attached. It gives me a chill, seeing that. Did Triamus and Thanatos break him out?

The King of the Titans makes a huge noise of frustration, and crashes back through the trees, disappearing from view. I gasp a few breaths, relieved that the monster is out of sight. My body begins to tremble violently.

I pant, and try to think. I don’t know what to do next. I should warn people, I suppose--but I can’t leave Hades behind! Maybe he’s hurt. Kronos is looking for him, that’s a good sign, right?

There’s a sound near me like a large animal crashing through the trees and I stifle a shriek. It can’t be Kronos, I don’t see him--

“Kore? Where are you?”

“Here!” I squeak, climbing to my feet again. 

I look around wildly, stupidly--of course I can’t see Hades. I gasp in relief when he materializes in front of me, pulling his helmet off with one hand, holding his bident in the other. I crash into his chest, clutching him frantically.

“I hit the Code Red!” I cry.

“Good, now you run for it! Get out of here, and send help.”

“I can’t leave you!”

There’s another terrible noise of wood being shredded, and Kronos steps into view again across the field.

“Ah, there you are!” he booms. “And is this your little plaything? You can’t hide her from me! You’re no more clever at this than your mother was!”

“Kore, go! I’ll hold him off!” Hades says, pushing me behind him. His skin darkens rapidly, and the light of galaxies shines across his skin. His jaw elongates and his teeth sharpen.

He wants me to leave him here? “What? No--”

“Persephone, my Sweetness. Never forget that I loved you!”

He kisses my forehead, and drops his helmet into place on  _ my _ head. I feel the cool tingle of invisibility settle over me as the awful meaning behind Hades’s words rings in my ears. 

“No, don’t leave me--” I gasp, but it’s too late. 

He’s flying away with his bident, to take the fight to his terrible father. Throwing himself into the path of danger so that I can get away. Sacrificing his life,  _ for me.  _ He told me to bring help, but that’s not what he meant. He meant for me to save myself, and let him give his life for me.

Well.

To  _ hell _ with that!

I need a plan. I need to help. I reach deep into the soil around me and pull vines, big ones. They writhe from the ground like whipping snakes, and lash out at Kronos, wrapping around his legs. Their red thorns bite deep into his flesh, but he doesn’t seem to notice, or care. The Titan is completely focused on Hades, who is flying straight at him holding his bident like a spear.

Kronos lashes out with a hand, trying to bat Hades away, but he dodges, doing a mid-air roll and flying under his father’s hand. He lunges with the bident and opens a long, bloody gash in the Titan’s forearm. He swoops away, around Kronos’s back. 

The first of my vines snaps, leaving only one foot bound. This isn’t good enough. I need to find another way to help Hades. He gave me his helmet so I could be safe and invisible, and now he’s totally vulnerable. As I watch Kronos manages to connect one swiping hand, sending Hades reeling.

“No,” I whimper, keeping a check on my voice. If I attract the Titan’s attention, Hades’s giving me his helmet will be in vain. I wish I could send it to him somehow--he’d be so much safer if he were invisible. I know that partial invisibility is something that many gods can do, but it takes concentration and I suspect it wouldn’t fool Kronos anyway. So what can I do? 

The answer comes to me in a flash and I gasp. I know  _ exactly _ what to do. I can’t make Hades invisibile, but I can help him to hide in plain sight. I reach into the trees around me, pull up roots and leaves, bark and flowers. I need the right size, some structure and toughness. I form a figure before me from roots and bark, and cover it with leaves and flowers to get the right colors. 

I’m fortunate that I’m extremely familiar with what I’m trying to copy, down to the last detail. In a few moments, a replica of Hades stands before me. Dark skin, disheveled white hair, rumpled suit, and bident. It’s not perfect, but it will do. I reach into the trees for more materials and make another, and then another, until a squad of motionless figures stands before me.

I take a deep breath. Now’s the test. Can I make them fly? One lifts slightly off the ground, and I tweak my control, pushing just  _ so _ . The whole group rises and I make them spread out, adjusting their postures for more verisimilitude. I send the decoys after Kronos, and make them swirl around him in wild patterns. 

The real Hades pauses for a moment, out of the Titan’s reach, watching the incoming figures. I can almost make out the change in his expression as he figures out what I’m doing. He darts inward, joining the other figures zooming around Kronos, blending in with the decoys.

“What idiocy is this?” the Titan screams. “Some trick of you new gods? You won’t fool me this way!”

Kronos snarls at the flying figures, who are buzzing around his head and torso like a swarm of gnats. I make more decoys, faster now that I’ve got the hang of it, and send them off, too. They all fly in rapid circles around the Titan, who flails wildly, smacking them out of the air. Many of them fall, but I just create more. 

I have no trouble picking out which Hades is the real one--he’s hovering now behind his father’s head. He raises the bident high and stabs it viciously into the Titan’s neck. Kronos’s scream assaults my ears. He reaches up behind his head and seizes Hades in his claw-like hand. I send my decoys against him, battering and smacking him with their root-bidents, but they’re no more than distractions. I can see Hades still shoving and twisting the bident, roaring in pain but not giving up. I reach out with more vines and try to pin down Kronos’s arms, pull his horrid hands away from my beloved.

The shattering scream the Titan makes rivals any other sound I’ve ever heard. It reaches a frantic pitch, and then is abruptly cut off into a gurgling moan. Hades drives his bident right through Kronos’s neck, and pulls it hard sideways, slicing through tendons and muscles. The Titan’s eyes roll up and he staggers, his hand releasing Hades.

I shriek in a mixture of terror and relief. Hades is falling, plummeting headfirst downwards, even as Kronos collapses. I act on total instinct. I reach upwards with a tangle of vines and grab my tumbling lover, slowing and cushioning his fall until he rests on the ground of the field. I run towards him, stumbling to keep my feet. I’m wary of the Titan’s body, even though his neck seemed to be cut most of the way through.

I throw myself down at Hades’s side. He lies on his back, his limbs outflung. His eyes are closed and his breathing is shallow. He’s absolutely soaked in blood. I remove the helmet from my head and toss it toward the fallen bident, out of my way. I start pulling back Hades’s torn clothes, checking his injuries. His chest, belly, and thighs are deeply scored with gauges from Kronos’s claws. I hiss in distress. The stench of blood and other things is ghastly, and I have to gag.

I sit back on my heels for a moment, trying to control my breathing. I can do this. I’ve healed people before. I just have to concentrate. I let my power flow and reach into Hades, probing deep, finding all the places where he’s torn and wounded. His injuries are severe, and go very deep. I begin pumping energy into him, directing it to the worst spots, feeling the tissues reconnecting, knitting his flesh together. It takes a long time. I’m aware of my breathing, and the way my sweat is flowing, and the cramp in my leg, and my itchy nose. I don’t stop. I keep working on my beloved.

When I finally withdraw, I feel utterly wrung out. Hades’s phone in my pocket is chirping insistently, but I ignore it. I look him over, lifting his ragged clothes and making sure that his flesh is united once again. Everything’s aligned properly, and his skin is whole. There’s an awful lot of blood splashed around. Some of it has to be Kronos’s, but much of it is Hades’s. It’s no wonder he hasn’t woken up yet.

I watch his breathing for a minute, and start to release my tension. I take a few deep breaths, and sniff back the tears that threaten to fall. I look over at the slumped body of Kronos. He hasn’t moved. I suppose it will take him a long time to heal on his own, and we’re safe enough for the moment. I curl up next to Hades and put my head on his shoulder. I just need to close my eyes for a few minutes.

***

“Shit! What the hell happened to them?”

“I don’t know man, but look--they took down Kronos!”

“How is that even possible?”

I jerk my head up, and struggle to rise. I turn and see Zeus and Poseidon running toward us, each of them carrying a long weapon.

“What the fuck took you so long!” I shriek. They crash to a halt, shocked. “What’s the point of having some damned red button if it takes you an hour to get here?”

The two of them exchange a look, and then approach at a walk.

“Is Hades okay?” Poseidon asks gently.

I snort in annoyance. “He will be. He lost a lot of blood.”

“What about you? There’s blood all over you,” Zeus points out. 

I look down at myself. Both my coat and my dress are torn, and I’m covered with dirt and blood. “It’s not mine.”

Poseidon is looking Hades over, checking him for injuries. “He looks fine. You healed him?”

“Yes. He was almost torn in half,” I admit, catching a sob in my throat.

“You did a good job, then.”

Zeus is looking over at Kronos’s crumpled form. “Shit, his head’s nearly all the way off! How did you guys manage this?”

“Hades did it,” I say. I don’t need to talk about my part. It wouldn’t have been necessary if Hades hadn’t given his helmet to me, to keep me safe.

“That’s pretty fucking impressive! I figured we’d get here to find him fighting a holding action, and it would take all of us to bring him down again,” Zeus says, rubbing his chin.

“Whatever, man. The old bastard will keep for a while, and we should get Hades home,” Poseidon replies.

“Yes, please,” I say. “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Zeus says. “Seems like you’ve earned a pass for today.” 

The two of them let their weapons go, disappearing to wherever it is that they’re stored. I rise to my feet and get out of the way, moving over to where the helmet and bident lie in the grass. I pick them up, cradling the helmet under my arm, and the bident in my other hand. It’s just as unwieldy as I remember from Vathia. I wish I knew how to just send them back, the way the others did with their weapons, but I don’t.

I look back at the kings, who are in the process of lifting Hades, but they’re staring at me in open-mouthed shock. “What?” I ask.

“Uh, nothing. Nothing important,” Zeus says. Poseidon shakes his head slightly, with a little smile. 

The two of them lift Hades, slinging his arms over their shoulders. They link hands under his thighs and carry him in a semi-sitting position. His head sags; he’s totally limp. I follow behind them, carrying the helmet and bident, and keeping a sharp eye out for shades and traitors. There are a number of shades moving in the forest near us, but they stay away.

It’s a long walk back, following the course of the flaming river. Zeus and Poseidon converse a little between themselves in low voices. I just keep an eye on Hades, for any sign of a return to consciousness. Eventually, I notice that the Phlegethon is getting narrower as we approach its source. When we pass the spring, I breathe a sigh of relief. We’re nearly at the top.

We reach Strinkliá, who lets us pass without interference, and exit the adamantine gate. I hear vague sounds nearby, possibly the security personnel who are supposed to be running their drills.

“Hello?” I call. “Chief Agenis? Anyone?” 

I hear voices approaching, and several security men burst out of the trees, led by their Chief. “Oh, Ms. Persephone, ma’am! You’re all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine, and Hades will be. Did you see Thanatos and Triamus? They were running around earlier.”

“Yes, ma’am, unfortunately, I have reports that there was a breakout from a secondary entrance. I have reasons to believe that some of my subordinates assisted this.”

“I see.”

“Given the circumstances, I can understand if you consider my entire department to be under suspicion,” Agenis says, misery in his tone.

We arrive at the main entrance, and go out into the lobby. Zeus and Poseidon pause, leaning Hades up against a wall. 

“My sisters, come to me,” I whisper. The Furies are there within a second, all talking at once, exclaiming over the blood that’s all over me, demanding explanations.

I hold up my hand. “I’m fine. I don’t have time for this. I need you three to take charge of finding Thanatos and Triamus; they broke out. And fetch Hecate back, she’s visiting my mother. Chief, brief Hecate and do what she tells you.”

“Yes, ma’am!” says Agenis.

“You’re sure you’re well?” Megaera frets. 

“Yes. It’s not my blood. Please do as I ask.” I turn back to Zeus and Poseidon. “Shall we go?”

Their faces are identical pictures of astonishment, but they agree, and pick up Hades once more.

***

I follow Zeus and Poseidon up the stairs, and direct them to the bedroom. They set Hades down on the bed, and he flops over, still completely out of it. The dogs have followed us upstairs, and converge on Hades for a sniff. They look at me and whine. I set the bident and helmet down in a corner, and approach the bed.

“You want some help with him?” Poseidon asks. 

“No, that’s okay. I can take care of him,” I reply. I’m grateful for their help but I want them gone. I want Hades all to myself, even if he is unconscious. I straighten his head and smooth his hair.

“You’re sure? He’s kind of big for you to handle,” Zeus says doubtfully.

“I’ll manage.”

“C’mon, man, we gotta get back to Tartarus anyway,” Poseidon says, pulling on Zeus’s arm.

“Okay. Call if you need anything, Persephone.” 

“I will. Thank you again.”

They start to leave, but I notice Zeus’s double take on seeing our new bedroom couch. He nudges Poseidon, pointing to it and grinning.

I turn away, my cheeks heating, and don’t watch them go out. I begin unloading Hades’s pockets, taking out all his stuff and piling it on the bedside table. I’m relieved to find Ione’s Eye. If anything else was lost, it’s much more easily replaceable. His clothes are shredded, and soaked with his golden blood. I fetch my hair-cutting scissors and start snipping away, cutting off the ruined suit and shirt.

It takes a bit of shoving and pulling, but I’m able to get Hades free of his clothes without too much trouble. I look him over carefully, making sure that he’s well-healed from today’s ordeal. He seems fine, actually. He’s breathing slow and deep, and is completely unresponsive to my touches. He doesn’t even seem to be terribly dirty, and I wonder if my healing cleaned him, as well.

Nevertheless, I fetch a basin of warm water and a cloth, and give Hades a sponge bath, for my own reassurance. Once that’s done I tuck the covers around him and kiss his forehead. I want nothing more than to crawl in with him and sleep for days, but I’m aware of my own stink. I’m filthy with dirt, sweat, and blood. I strip down, leaving my stained, torn coat and dress in the pile of Hades’s things, and stalk off to the bathroom.

Looking at my exhausted face in the mirror, I’m rather amazed to find I otherwise look the same as I did this morning. My hair didn’t grow at all today. How is that possible? I was scared out of my mind. I seriously thought Kronos would consume both Hades and me, and run rampant through the Underworld.

I shake my head, just grateful not to have to deal with volumes of hair on top of everything else. I step into the shower and let the hot water soothe me.

***

I wake up, suddenly alert. It’s dark, as usual. I stay still, listening, and hear a weird crunching noise. I can’t think what it could be. I raise my head to look at Hades. He’s lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling, fiercely grinding his jaw. His eyes are glowing faintly with reddish light, but I don’t think he’s seeing--not here and now, anyway. I put my hand on his chest and he jerks, facing toward me.

“Kore?” he moans, his voice high with distress.

“I’m here! I’m right here!” I wrap my arm around his shoulder, press against him, kiss all over his face.

“No! Shit, no! Kore! Oh, fuck, he got you, too?”

Who got me? What does he-- _ oh. _ “No! Oh,  _ no,  _ Hades! I’m fine, and you’re fine! We’re home, safe in bed. Everything is okay.”

He pants and gasps, his unfocused eyes skittering around the dimly-lit room. I lean over and hit the light switch, causing the bedside lamps to bathe us in a soft glow.

“Can you see now? We’re all right.”

His breathing slows as he looks around. I slide up close to him, unable to restrain myself any longer. I’ve never felt the dichotomy between my mind and my body so sharply as at this moment. I want to comfort Hades, to hold him close and talk to him, to soothe his fears and thank him for his actions on my behalf.

In contrast, my body’s wishes are a bit more… crude. My soul believes in its wild depths that today’s events have designated me as spoils of war, and is eager to deliver my part of the implied contract. All this healing and cleanup and ridiculous  _ sleeping _ may have been necessary delays, but now that the conqueror is awake it’s time to get down to  _ business. _

My thighs are slick with arousal and my pulse thuds incessantly. Lust is taking control, but I push it down, fight to keep my body subjected to my rational mind. I bite my lip, shaking with the effort to self-discipline. Throwing myself at a bewildered, recently injured man is  _ not _ okay.

Hades draws a slow breath, some sense returning to his eyes. “You’re really not hurt?” he asks, touching my face. “You’re safe?”

“I’m fine. You saved me.”

He shakes his head. “Your decoys--you saved  _ me. _ ”

I don’t feel the need to debate this. “We make a good team.”

The moment when he snaps into focus, I feel as if all the air is squeezed out of my lungs. His eyes narrow and darken, and his nostrils flare wide. My nipples are so hard they hurt, and a whimper steals out of my throat.

I feel the vibration before I can hear Hades’s answering growl. It’s low and distant at first, and I  _ cannot _ keep still. I squirm and gasp, rubbing my breasts against his chest to relieve their ache, wrap my legs around his waist. I try to press my slippery core to his hip, begging for what I need, but his big hands close on my shoulders, holding me at a distance while he ravishes me with his eyes.

I want him so badly I can’t think of the words to say to make it happen. I can barely make a sound at all, just the needy whine that I’m powerless to stop. My body writhes helplessly, desperate to complete the primal bargain between hero and rescued.

“Kore?” Hades whispers, his voice raspy.

He wants something from me. Some words, maybe. I can’t remember. I open my mouth and a breathy squeak comes out. I raise one hand and touch his face. He’s quivering. I slide my hand around the back of his head, threading my fingers in his hair, and pull him to me.

His lips are hot on mine: restless, ferocious. I keep pulling him toward me as I roll onto my back and he follows, no more willing to release me than I am to release him. I part my legs for him, tilting and raising my hips, moaning as I rub against him. I can feel his hard cock against my thigh and I  _ can’t _ wait anymore. I need it  _ now. _

I squirm, circling his waist with my legs, and pull him in until he slides right into my slick, swollen channel. I howl in triumph, bucking wildly under him, meeting his every motion. I slam my body joyfully against his and feel the tingling rush starting already.

I scream words, I don’t even recognize them. I’m coming so hard I can feel the blood pounding in my veins, its frantic pace rivaled by his thrusts inside me. The orgasm goes on and on and my voice is still doing something and I feel like I’m going to shatter into bits, when Hades roars and crashes his hips into me. His cock rubs a certain spot inside and my feet are ice cold and there’s a rushing sound in my ears and I’m seeing spots--

***

It’s some time later. I’ve no idea how long. Hades is still on top of me, still inside me. He moves languidly now and I feel fluids gushing from me, telling me that he finished, too. I completely missed it. Did I pass out, I wonder?

Hades’s hands move in my hair, on my back. He’s murmuring nonsense to me, kissing my neck and shoulder, nipping me. I rub the backs of his ears, his shoulders and spine.

He kisses my nose, and my lips, smiling at me. “You are amazing, little goddess. Do you know that? I’ve never heard you shout like that before.”

“Did I? I don’t remember. What did I say?”

He grins, at least seventy percent scoundrel. “You said, ‘I love you, you fucking idiot, and if you ever do something like that again I’ll beat you with your own bident.’”

“Oh!” My cheeks are so hot, it’s a wonder I’m not melting. “I’m really sorry, that was horribly rude!”

“Was it? I rather liked it.” Hades rolls me over so I’m on top of him, and burrows his face between my breasts. 

“No, threatening you like that, that’s not okay!”

“You didn’t mean it,” Hades observes mildly. He runs his hand through my hair and cups the back of my head. “Not literally, anyway.”

“Oh.” I guess if he’s not bothered, I shouldn’t be, either.

“This was the last time I underestimate you, little goddess. I swear to you.”

My breath hitches. Somehow that’s one of the sexiest things he’s ever said to me. 

“I mean it,” Hades continues. “What you did today blew my mind. I never imagined anything like it.”

I have a little trouble putting my thoughts together, after praise like that. “You’re just trying to distract me. I’m not going to forget that you were ready to lay down your life in sacrifice for me, in a way that would have been horrific and terrifying and painful.” My tears well up and spill down my face, dropping onto his cheek. “I did kind of mean what I said. I don’t want you to ever do anything like that again.”

He nods gravely. “I understand that, Kore. All I can say is that I hope it won’t be necessary. Because I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe.” Hades cups my face, his fingers in my hair, brushing tears away with his thumbs. 

“Thank you,” I choke out. “But I don’t want to be without you. Not ever.”

“I know. Will you forgive me for being selfish?” 

There’s a note in his voice that reassures me. I think he’s going to be okay. We’re going to be okay. “Yes. Will you forgive me for not obeying you?”

He breathes a soft laugh. "It's only fair. I disobeyed, too."

I smile and kiss him. “Are you okay, though? I mean, really okay?”

His eyes widen as he understands my meaning. “I honestly have no idea. It’s a lot to process. On the one hand, I’m feeling rather jubilant, but somewhere deep inside… something is gibbering with fear.”

“Me too. That was absolutely the most frightening thing I’ve ever experienced.”

Hades leans his forehead on mine. “I’m so, so sorry, Kore. I never wanted you to face anything like that. I had no plans to take you deep enough to see  _ him. _ ”

“That isn’t what I meant. He was terrifying, but the part that really scared me was seeing you so hurt.”

“Oh.”

“It makes me realize that this thing with my mother--it’s just an inconvenience. I’m trying to avoid it because I don’t want to argue with her. I know she’s going to try to make me feel helpless and stupid, but I don’t have to play that game. After today, there’s no point being frightened of  _ her. _ ”

Hades holds me in his arms, snuggled up together under the covers of his bed.  _ Our  _ bed. I can feel his heartbeat under my hand, his thighs pressed to mine. He breathes right by my ear and whispers soft words to me. I've never felt so safe in my life. So cherished and supported and valued. I stroke his face and sigh.

“Oh, Sweetness,” he murmurs. “I want so much to make you happy.”

I know this is true. He’s said it before, but more than that, he demonstrated in the clearest possible way that my life is more important to him than his own.

I press my lips to his. “I  _ am _ happy. Never doubt it.”

**Author's Note:**

> Beta work by the awesome Red, as always.


End file.
